Arugula (American English), also known as Rocket, is an easy plant to grow that everyone should be familiar with. Arugula can often be replaced in recipes for spinach and other soft leafy greens. Try it a few times and you will undeniably gain a taste for it! The classic peppery flavor can be intimidating at first, but once you see the opportunities, you wonât want to live without it.
Arugula, also known as rocket or roquette, is a versatile leafy green plant that belongs to the Brassicaceae family. Though native to the Mediterranean region, arugula now grows in gardens all over the world. With its distinctive peppery, slightly bitter taste, arugula adds flavor and nutrition to many dishes.
At our gardening website, we often get questions about how to use up a bountiful arugula harvest While arugula’s most well-known use is in fresh salads, there are many other delicious ways to enjoy this nutritious green. Here are some of the most popular uses for arugula that we recommend to our readers
Culinary Uses
Salads
Arugula’s claim to fame is as a salad green. Its sharp peppery kick pairs perfectly with the sweetness of fruits like pear or fig, the saltiness of cheese, and the acidity of citrus dressing. The bold flavor of arugula can liven up a boring lettuce salad. Young tender baby arugula leaves are ideal for salads.
Pizzas and Flatbreads
Arugula is a fantastic pizza topping. Scatter arugula over a hot pizza right when it comes out of the oven. The heat wilts the greens just slightly to release their peppery punch. Arugula’s flavor stands up well to bold pizza toppings like sausage, caramelized onions, and mushrooms.
Pesto
Blending arugula, olive oil, Parmesan, pine nuts or walnuts, garlic, and lemon makes a lively twist on traditional basil pesto Toss arugula pesto with cooked pasta or use as a sandwich spread
Sandwiches and Wraps
Peppery arugula gives a kick to both hot and cold sandwiches. It pairs well with meats like turkey, ham, and roast beef. For a healthy chicken wrap, spread a whole wheat tortilla with hummus and pile on sliced chicken, tomato, avocado, and arugula.
Soups and Stews
Finely chop arugula and add it to vegetable, bean, or broth-based soups and stews a few minutes before serving. The greens will wilt quickly and infuse the dish with flavor.
Sautés
Sautéing turns arugula silky and intensely flavored. Sauté chopped arugula in olive oil with garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon, and Parmesan for a quick side dish. Toss with whole wheat pasta for an easy primavera.
Grilled and Roasted Veggies
Add chopped arugula to other grilled or roasted vegetables like summer squash, bell peppers, zucchini, and eggplant. The arugula balances out the vegetables’ sweetness.
Omelets and Frittatas
Stir chopped or baby arugula into egg mixtures for omelets and frittatas. It adds color and a slightly spicy note.
Risotto
Stir a few handfuls of arugula into risotto at the very end of cooking. It will wilt immediately and add freshness.
Medicinal Uses
In addition to its culinary virtues, arugula has been used for its healing properties for centuries. Arugula contains a variety of beneficial plant compounds known to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects.
Some specific medicinal uses of arugula include:
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Reducing inflammation – Compounds like glucosinolates and flavonoids in arugula may have natural anti-inflammatory abilities.
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Aiding digestion – Arugula’s bitter compounds stimulate the release of gastric juices that support digestion.
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Boosting immunity – Arugula is high in vitamin C, an antioxidant that strengthens the immune system and promotes skin health.
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Protecting eye health – Lutein and zeaxanthin in arugula help reduce risk of age-related macular degeneration.
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Maintaining bone strength – The calcium, vitamin K, and magnesium in arugula support bone density.
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Lowering cancer risk – Arugula contains compounds called isothiocyanates that may inhibit cancer cell growth.
While more research is still needed, adding more arugula to your diet appears to come with considerable health upsides.
Other Uses
Aside from its many culinary and medicinal uses, arugula also has some other interesting applications.
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Natural dye – The chlorophyll in arugula leaves makes a green fabric dye. Boil leaves to extract the color.
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Seed oil – Cold pressing arugula seeds produces an oil high in antioxidants like vitamin E and omega-3s. Use for cooking, dressings, etc.
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Animal forage – Livestock like cows, sheep, and goats enjoy munching on arugula greens and stems.
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Biofumigant cover crop – Farmers grow arugula as a cover crop then till it into the soil. When decomposing, compounds released naturally suppress soil-borne diseases and pests.
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Trap crop – Interplanting arugula with crops like lettuce or brassicas can lure pests like flea beetles away from the main harvest.
While most famous as an edgy salad green, arugula is an extremely versatile plant in the kitchen and beyond. There are endless ways to take advantage of its uniquely peppery bite, from soups to pesto to pizza. Arugula also promotes health through anti-inflammatory and anticancer compounds. And it has applications as a natural dye, seed oil, animal feed, and more.
We encourage all our readers to experiment with fresh, homegrown arugula. This Mediterranean native truly earns its place in gardens worldwide. With so many possibilities spanning the culinary, medicinal, and practical realms, putting that arugula harvest to use is both delicious and rewarding.
10 Ways to Use Arugula In Everyday Cooking
Arugula is also one of the most popular microgreens on the market for a good reason. It was practically made for growing indoors. It thrives in shade and cooler temperatures often found in peoplesâ homes and kitchens. Growing arugula as a microgreen is easy and quick but also allows you to add a flavor to your salads or other dishes that you might not expect. These tiny cotyledons carry the same flavor as the full-fledged leaves but are slightly less pungent. Yet, you get the same amount of nutrients packed into that tiny leaf!
Arugula is most commonly found in leafy green salad mixes sold at grocery stores. This is because it adds a delightfully peppery and even spicy flavor component to salads. Pairing these types of salads with olive oil-based dressings or something involving balsamic vinegar or glaze are always a win. It is also frequently eaten with goat, feta, or parmesan cheese, as the salty bite accents the green perfectly.
Just like salad mixes, arugula goes wonderfully packed into wraps or on top of sandwiches. It is a mouth-watering addition to everything from a Mediterranean-inspired wrap and even a southern-style pulled pork barbecue sandwich. The peppery taste is surprisingly agile and able to complement a wide variety of flavor profiles.
The most common kind of pesto is typically made from basil. But, did you know that pesto doesnât have to be basil? Another traditional Italian homemade pasta sauce is arugula pesto! It is made the exact same way as basil pesto but with arugula. The leaves blended together with olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, and other spices and then poured over your favorite pasta shape, spread onto a sandwich, or dipped into with a crusty baguette is to die for! If you like strong, peppery, fresh flavors, you will love arugula pesto.
Not only can arugula pesto be poured over pasta, but the whole or roughly chopped leaf and be mixed into nearly any existing pasta dish. It doesnât need much time to cook at all so when youâre done making your dish as normal, cut the heat and add in the arugula. The residual heat cooks it just enough to preserve the delightful flavor and nutrients but allow it to melt into the dish as if it always belonged there. Which it does! Or, donât cook it at all and add it to a cold pasta dish for an even fresher texture. You simply canât go wrong when pairing pasta and arugula.
Arugula can be added to any soup! Simply cut the heat when you are done cooking your soup as normal, then stir in the whole or roughly chopped arugula leaf. The residual heat of the dish will perfectly cook the arugula. Even for creamed soups, add it in just before the blending stage for a delightfully peppery addition to any warm or cold soup. It is an easy way to add a punch of nutritional value.
Sometimes all you need is a small handful of arugula leaves to perfectly round out a dish. Famously garnishing beef carpaccio, it can also be put on roasted vegetables with chicken, on the side of steak and potatoes, or on top of sauteed shrimp and cherry tomatoes. The fresh leaves bring just the right amount of crunch and flavor that cannot be achieved by any other green.
Adding arugula and a quick dash (or glug) of balsamic vinegar on top of a freshly cooked pizza is all the rage now. Most common in more authentic Italian pizza joints, the practice is quickly being incorporated anywhere that serves pizza. Add it yourself at home! Something about the combination of tomatoes, mozzarella, arugula, and balsamic vinegar is too good to be true. It transports you to a summerâs day in a Mediterranian countryside villa looking over the sea. But you can have it anywhere if you grow arugula yourself!
An All-Purpose Spinach Substitute
Lastly, we cannot forget that anytime spinach is called for in a recipe, most of the time, arugula can be a ready substitute. The flavor is different, but the texture is the same in many cases. Oftentimes, the flavor difference enhances whatever youâre adding it to! For example, try adding fresh leaves to your scrambled eggs or omelette in the morning with feta. To top it all off, arugula is easier to grow at home (particularly indoors) than spinach is
Amazing Arugula: 6 Benefits
FAQ
What is arugula best used for?
What is arugula plant used for?
Where is arugula most popular?
What part of the arugula plant can you eat?
What is arugula used for?
Arugula is commonly used in salads alongside other greens, but it can also be added to sandwiches, pizzas, and pasta dishes. The peppery flavor of arugula makes it a great addition to raw dishes, such as spring rolls and sushi. Arugula can be cooked and used as a side dish or added to soups and stews.
Is Arugula a super food?
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a superfood is a food that is rich in compounds that are considered beneficial to a person’s health. By this definition, arugula can be considered a superfood as it is rich in nutrients, such as vitamin A and vitamin K, that support bone building, blood clotting, immune function, cell growth, eye health, and maintaining heart, lung, and kidney function.
Can arugula be used as a spice?
Plus, it’s a great way to add a bit of peppery flavor to your dishes. You can’t go wrong with arugula, especially if you’re looking for a new way to spice up your meals. So don’t be afraid to give it a try! Bitemybun’s family recipes with complete meal planner and recipe guide.
What is a garden arugula?
Garden is a fast-growing variety with a mild flavor that is reminiscent of radishes. Perfect for winning over the arugula haters. This type has an upright growth habit, so it’s easy to harvest. It features dark green, deeply lobed leaves that look beautiful in a mixed salad. Bellezia is resistant to downy mildew.